Ultimately, the era of the Toronto Maple Leafs` “Core Four” star players collapsed much like a low-quality online purchase – something that appeared promising in concept but proved fragile when put under pressure.
At least the outcome left no room for doubt.
Their failure wasn`t attributable to a significant injury preventing success by a narrow margin, nor was it a case of subpar goaltending letting down a fated team. There were no excuses about bad calls, unlucky bounces, or being just shy of defeating defending champions. No “almosts,” no “ifs,” “buts,” or “maybes” were plausible.
It`s definitively over.
As Luke Fox accurately detailed in his excellent piece, this represents the clear and undeniable conclusion for this group. If the same primary components repeatedly lead to the same unsuccessful outcome, simply making minor adjustments won`t yield a different result.
The current challenge, however, is figuring out precisely which core pieces need to be replaced, and perhaps more difficult, determining which players are actually available for acquisition.
How does a team improve by trading away a key forward in his prime who consistently scores 100 points and is recognized for his strong defensive play (a Selke candidate)?
This question about the team`s direction is a recurring theme in conversations with those who have a good understanding of the Maple Leafs` situation. There`s a significant sense of “what happens now?” hanging over the team.
From a player perspective, one change that seems inevitable is Mitch Marner moving to another team. He might eventually achieve Stanley Cup success elsewhere, similar to Phil Kessel after leaving Toronto for Pittsburgh, but it has become abundantly clear that he cannot be the primary offensive catalyst for this Maple Leafs team in the playoffs.
Perhaps in a different market with less intense scrutiny, he might feel more comfortable taking offensive risks, rather than defaulting to cautious lateral passes or chipping the puck into the neutral zone. A new environment might empower him to play with less fear of making mistakes.
However, if such a transformation occurs, it won`t be because the Maple Leafs erred by trading him; it will be a reflection on the player himself. The question won`t be, “Why didn`t the Leafs anticipate his potential playoff success elsewhere?” but rather, “Why couldn`t he deliver that level of performance when he was playing here?”
In light of this, the decision to potentially trade him feels relatively straightforward, despite his talent.
Nevertheless, the team will likely experience a decline in regular-season performance without him. The hope is that by making this difficult change, they can develop the mental fortitude and resilience needed for playoff success, because winning the Stanley Cup requires enduring extreme pressure and adversity.
Tristan Blackwood